External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar’s three-day visit to Moscow from August 19-21, 2025, marked a pivotal moment in India-Russia relations, reinforcing the “longstanding and time-tested Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.” Amid rising global geopolitical tensions, this visit underscores both continuity and change in India-Russia relations, illustrating India’s strategic autonomy and commitment to the maintenance of robust ties with Russia despite external pressures. This explainer looks at the geopolitical context, key outcomes, and implications for India-Russia relations.
Situating the Visit in the Larger Geopolitical Context
EAM Jaishankar’s visit comes at a critical juncture, as the confluence of global and regional geopolitical developments strains India-Russia relations, demanding careful navigation of India’s foreign policy.
An immediate trigger catching news attention is the US imposition of a 50% tariff on Indian exports to the US, including a 25% additional levy for India’s purchase of Russian oil, effective August 27, 2025, under President Donald Trump’s second administration. These tariffs aim to curb India’s energy trade with Moscow amid the Ukraine conflict, reflecting Western pressure to align New Delhi against Russia.
Additionally, the not-so-prominent in the news headlines is the European Union’s 18th sanctions package, adopted on July 18, 2025, that lowered the price cap on Russian crude and introduced restrictions on refined petroleum products from third countries, including India, effective June 2026. These measures challenge India’s economic interests, particularly its reliance on discounted Russian oil, which has surged since the Ukraine war began in 2022, and pit India to distance itself from Russia.
Regionally, the growing Sino-Russian partnership, extending beyond diplomatic signalling to accentuated trade and energy interdependence, fogs India’s view of Russia as a counterweight to China in Asia.
While scholars in the field are arguing that Western sanctions, including Trump’s executive order doubling US tariffs on Indian exports, may alter India’s calculus for future Russian crude purchases, they are simultaneously encouraging a change in the nature of the relationship itself, leading to diversification and deepening of ties, as evidenced by EAM Jaishankar’s visit.
Key Takeaways from the Visit
Jaishankar’s visit was marked by high-level engagements and tangible outcomes aimed at bolstering India-Russia cooperation. He co-chaired the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) with Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov on August 20, 2025. The session focused on achieving a revised bilateral trade target of $100 billion by 2030 by addressing tariff and non-tariff barriers, improving logistics, promoting connectivity, and streamlining payment mechanisms. The session concluded with the signing of the Protocol for the 26th IRIGC-TEC, formalising these commitments.
A significant step was the finalisation of the terms of reference for the India-Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement, promising to enhance trade ties. Jaishankar’s talks with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on August 21 covered trade, connectivity, defence, and the establishment of two new Indian Consulates in Kazan and Yekaterinburg.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to reforming global governance, collaborating in multilateral forums like G20, BRICS, and SCO. Jaishankar reiterated India’s emphasis on dialogue and diplomacy to resolve conflicts, and underscored a shared resolve to combat terrorism with a zero-tolerance policy.
At the India-Russia Business Forum, Jaishankar, in his address, emphasised coordination between the forum and IRIGC working groups to foster business ties. Discussions also highlighted energy cooperation and the mobility of Indian skilled workers in sectors like IT, construction, and engineering, signalling a diversification of economic engagement beyond traditional defence and energy trade.
What This Visit Signals
The bilateral relationship between India and Russia dates back to India’s independence in 1947, and has ever since been a cornerstone of New Delhi’s foreign policy, leaving a lingering influence on India’s present outlook of Russia. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union provided critical support, including a dependable UNSC veto on Kashmir-related issues and neutrality during the 1962 India-China war. The 1971 Treaty of Peace, Friendship, and Cooperation and Russia’s backing during the 1971 India-Pakistan war cemented this bond. Over the years, leaders like Nehru and Khrushchev (who viewed India as a “natural ally”), and more recently Modi and Putin, have nurtured this relationship, with the latter meeting 17 times in the past decade.
Beyond diplomatic relations and support, the two have enjoyed a booming defence and energy trade partnership. With over 70% of India’s defence procurement being of Russian origin until 2013, and India’s purchase of cheap Russian oil in recent years. However, at the same time, it also underscores a relationship which has historically remained constrained to limited sectors. Western pressure, including US tariffs and EU sanctions, has prompted India to rethink its ties with Russia, not to abandon them but to diversify.
Thus, the recent developments come as a boon in disguise for India-Russia relations. As seen previously, when India faced pressure to go against Russia in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war, India capitalised on the shifting geopolitical landscape by pivoting towards Moscow in energy and fertiliser imports, sectors that were not dominated by Russia in preceding decades and remained largely constricted to defence and nuclear energy technology support.
India’s reluctance to publicly condemn Russia during the 2022 Ukraine invasion proved strategic, enabling New Delhi to hold on to a long-sustained partnership. Trump’s tariffs may inadvertently push India closer to Russia and China, as they underscore the U.S.’s unreliability as a partner. The visit underscores India’s strategic autonomy, resisting U.S. and EU pressures to distance itself from Russia. However, challenges remain, including navigating the Sino-Russian partnership and sustaining economic momentum amid sanctions.